Digital Commons Network^™

Modeling, Analysis, And Simulation Of Adsorption In Functionalized Memebranes, Anastasia Bridner Wilson

All Dissertations

The emergence of biopharmaceuticals, and particularly therapeutic proteins, as a leading way to manage chronic diseases in humans has created a need for technologies that deliver purified products efficiently and quickly. Towards this end, there has been a signif-icant amount of research on development of porous membranes used in chromatographic bioseparations. In this work, we focus on high-capacity multimodal membranes developed by Husson and colleagues in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Clemson University. Chromatographic performance of such membranes, particularly the adsorption ca-pabilities of the membranes, depends of a large number of variables making it unrealistic to scan …

The Drive To Deceive: Lance Armstrong's Image Repair And Maintenance, S. Andrew Stowe

All Dissertations

Lance Armstrong is one of the most recognized athletes of all time and one of the most successful cyclists ever. After surviving cancer, going on to win the Tour de France a record seven times, and being the center of a media empire, Armstrong’s reputation was publicly ruined after the United States Anti-Doping Agency released a huge case against him. Armstrong had to recant years of righteous denials and arduous insistence that he did not use performance-enhancing drugs. This doping scandal exposed a well-liked sports hero as a fraud and cheater, making him an exception case study in branding and …

Impact Of Ionizing Radiation Dose And Dose Rate On Adipose Stem Cell Function, Matthew Connor Rusin

All Dissertations

The use of ionizing radiation within medicine creates an interesting paradox. First, x-rays can be used as an excellent diagnostic tool, allowing doctors to view internal biological structures without having to perform surgery. This can be done thanks to the characteristics of high energy photons, namely excellent penetration depth and various levels of absorption based upon the density of a material. These same characteristics make ionizing radiation a very effective treatment method for cancer. Radiation focused on a tumor will deposit energy when it interacts with a biological structure (e.g. DNA), eventually causing enough damage to kill the cell. That …

Advances In Monitoring Dynamic Hydrologic Conditions In The Vadose Zone Through Automated High-Resolution Ground-Penetrating Radar Images And Analysis, Adam R. Mangel

All Dissertations

This body of research focuses on resolving physical and hydrological heterogeneities in the subsurface with ground-penetrating radar (GPR). Essentially, there are two facets of this research centered on the goal of improving the collective understanding of unsaturated flow processes: i) modifications to commercially available equipment to optimize hydrologic value of the data and ii) the development of novel methods for data interpretation and analysis in a hydrologic context given the increased hydrologic value of the data. Regarding modifications to equipment, automation of GPR data collection substantially enhances our ability to measure changes in the hydrologic state of the subsurface at …

Examination Of Infographics-Based Reusable Learning Objects (Rlo) And Traditional Didactic Lectures (Tdl) To Improve Consumer Knowledge And Perceptions About The Safe Use Of Plastic Food Containers In A Microwave Oven, Najla Ahmed Khateeb

All Dissertations

This study was a quasi-experimental trials that compared relative effectiveness of Infographics Based Reusable Learning Objects Educational Intervention (RLO and Traditional Didactic Lectures (TDL). A total of 282 Clemson university students were randomized into four groups – Control, RLD, TDL and RLO+TDL and changes in their pre-test and post-test scores were compared before and after each interventions. Specific outcomes tracked included the number of correctly recognized symbols identifying a type plastic, the number of correctly answered question about the safety of using plastic food containers in a microwave and the satisfaction with the instruction. The analysis suggests that RLO intervention …

A Bioresponsive And Multifunctional Polymer Based Nanodevice For Cancer Nanotheranostics, Ragini Jenkins

All Dissertations

The main objective of this project is to develop a polymer based near infrared (NIR) particle that can serve as both, diagnostic and therapeutic agents, for fighting cancer. Specifically these particles will be designed to have high-contrast, high signal to noise ratios, long in vivo circulation lifetimes, and facilitate easy attachment of functional and target components. Cancer is a disease where the growth of abnormal cells is uncontrollable and is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Malignant cancer cells are more effectively treated when identified early in the disease. Identification of tumors using fluorophores, small molecules that emit …

An Analysis Of Three Trio Student Support Services Projects At Public Two-Year Institutions In South Carolina, Caroline W. Canty

All Dissertations

In recent years, TRIO Programs have been targeted for budget cuts. The development of more data-based arguments is needed to defend these programs. Arguments against the continuation of TRIO programs stem from concerns about the program’s relevancy and success. Specifically, Student Support Services (SSS) operates at higher education institutions to support the college or university’s efforts with retention and graduation. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the services provided by TRIO SSS lead to successful outcomes for the participants served. A content analysis was conducted on artifacts from three distinct Student Support Services projects located in the …

Exploring The Effects Of Network Dynamics On Student Test Scores In A Rural Middle School, Bridget C. Briley

All Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to explore network dynamics within a rural middle school and identify to what extent middle school faculty engagement in network dynamics affects student test scores. Specifically, within the study, I examined the effects of network relationships (i.e., trust and social ties), content exchange (i.e., advice ties), and student context on students’ Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test scores for Fall, Spring, and Growth. A survey was sent to 75 faculty and staff members in a rural middle school of 740 students. Network analysis by means of the ORA software toolkit, along with hierarchical linear …

Development Of An Automated Impedance Tomography System And Its Implementation In Cementitious Materials, Tao Ruan

All Dissertations

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) based non-destructive evaluation showed great potentials in assessing the health condition of the new or existing civil infrastructures. Damages or anomalies that on the surface and embedded inside the structures exhibited as local conductivity changes and altered the path of electrical current flow. This investigation was focused on developing a new automated EIT system and employing EIT to identify the anomalies in cementitious materials structures.

This dissertation is structured as follows. First, common nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques including conductivity-based techniques were summarized as well as their advantages and disadvantages. Then the theories of EIT modality as …

Surface Modifications Of Capillary-Channeled Polymer (C-Cp) Fiber Stationary Phases For Protein Separations, Liuwei Jiang

All Dissertations

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is one of the most important and commonly used techniques for protein separation and purification. Stationary phase is the most important component of HPLC since it is where the separation takes place. Traditional HPLC columns that are packed with highly porous micro-particular silica beads suffered from several drawbacks, including high column pressure, low stability of stationary phase, peak broadening and tailing. Large amount of research has been done to develop new HPLC stationary phase for protein separation. Capillary-channeled Polymer (C-CP) fibers have been studied as HPLC stationary phase for protein separation in the Marcus research …

Quantifying Sustainability In Wastewater Treatment: Examples In Algaculture, Muriel Steele

All Dissertations

In the wastewater industry the concept of sustainability addresses how complex systems, aimed at mitigating or preventing pollution, involve tradeoffs in life cycle impacts. Advanced treatment systems designed for high quality effluent often come at the cost of increased chemical and energy use, and alternatives which minimize the impacts in all categories are desirable. Algaculture is a promising technology for sustainable wastewater treatment, but quantifying the impacts of these systems is prudent before they are implemented on a large scale. This work enhances the growing body of research on the topic, contributing assessments of algaculture wastewater treatment systems using model-based …

A National Survey Of Literacy Faculty Practices, Beliefs, And Attitudes Toward Online Courses, Sangho Pang

All Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to conduct a national survey of literacy faculty (n = 270) in the United States to characterize their practices, beliefs, and attitudes toward offering online courses. Specifically, this study addresses the following questions: (a) To what extent are literacy courses being offered online, who is offering online literacy courses, and under what circumstances? (b) What technological components and pedagogical approaches are being employed in online literacy courses? (c) What are the perceived advantages of online literacy courses and obstacles to implementing them? (d) To what extent are literacy faculty’s attitudes favorable or unfavorable toward …

Advanced Cathode Materials And Electroanalytical Techniques For Proton Exchange Membrane Hydrogen-Oxygen Fuel Cells, Jamie A. Shetzline

All Dissertations

This dissertation describes research on the development, preparation, and characterization of advanced cathode materials for use in proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). In addition, the development of electroanalytical testing tech-niques for the characterization of PEMFC materials is discussed, including a method to independently measure ionic and electronic conductivities in thin films. Commer-cially available Vulcan-XC72 was modified with zirconia (ZrV) via a condensation reaction. Platinum catalyst nanoparticles were homogeneously deposited onto the surface of the ZrV support. The materials (Pt/ZrV) were then treated with various small molecules containing phosphonate groups that selectively bound to the surface of the zirconia through robust …

Combined Biological And Chemical Mechanisms For Degradation Of Insensitive Munitions, Jolanta Barbara Niedźwiecka

All Dissertations

The insensitive munitions (IM) 2,4-dinitroanisole (DNAN) and nitroguanidine (NQ) have been used in newly developed explosives as a replacement for the more sensitive munition, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT). These new formulations are less sensitive to external shocks, for example heat or strikes, and as such they are safer to store, transport and use in battle conditions. While these compounds have not yet been considered as groundwater contaminants, they may be released to the environment during detonation tests or in wastewater streams from manufacturing facilities. Explosives are toxic and mutagenic in humans and wildlife, thus it is important to understand their degradation pathway …

Characterization Of Tributyl Degradation Using Ftir-Atr Spectroscopy And Carbon Stable Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry, April Renae Gillens

All Dissertations

Tributyl phosphate (TBP) is used as an extractant in the Plutonium and Uranium Reduction Extraction (PUREX) process, as well as the Aqueous Chloride Process for Plutonium (Pu) recovery. These processes use nitric acid and hydrochloric acid, respectively. After nuclear reprocessing, TBP may be degraded in the Alkaline Hydrolysis Process using >12.5 M NaOH at 120-130 oC. TBP degrades to dibutyl phosphate (DBP), monobutyl phosphate (MBP), butanol, and phosphoric acid during hydrolysis. The goal of this dissertation is to use carbon stable isotopes to determine if there is a unique signature in TBP associated with nuclear reprocessing and solvent disposal. Acid …

Attitudes Toward Marriage Among Albanians: Establishing Baseline Attitudinal Clusters And Predictors From The 2008 European Values Study, Timothy Paul Hagen

All Dissertations

Because attitudes toward marriage impact the lives of many members of society, it is important to understand what those attitudes are and what predicts such attitudes in order to inform future research and marriage advocacy. Furthermore, to design studies to examine attitudes toward marriage, it is important to have an understanding of the power of previous studies. Towards those goals, this study attempted to answer two questions: a) To what extent do attitudes of Albanians toward marriage parallel theorized typologies of attitudes? b) What predicts membership in attitudinal groups? To answer these questions, this study examined attitudes toward marriage among …

The Role Of Community Participation For Green Stormwater Infrastructure Development, Nicole Barclay

All Dissertations

The primary objective of this research is to understand the role of community participation in green stormwater infrastructure development. Even though the literature affirms the need for community participation to facilitate its implementation, no study in the engineering literature examines this idea with an in-depth, descriptive case study. It is important to understand how technical and non-technical factors interact to promote or hinder its implementation. This work uses the qualitative case study methodology to fulfil the objective and answer the research questions. The case study is based on the Proctor Creek Watershed, Atlanta Georgia, a rapidly growing urban area located …

A Safety Analysis Of Spatial Phenomena About The Residences Of Drivers Involved In Crashes, Kweku Tekyi Brown

All Dissertations

This research was conducted to assist in transportation safety planning at both a macro (statewide) and micro (neighborhood) level of geography. Addressing safety issues at high crash incidence locations through crash countermeasures or better geometric design helps to make our roadways safer; however, the most influential and ever-present factor in most crashes, the human factor, is not directly addressed. Therefore, the primary goal of this research was to identify and analyze phenomena about the residences of drivers involved in crashes using spatial and statistical methods. These phenomena include socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of neighborhoods where these drivers live and the …

Synthesis And Applications Of Highly Concentrated Silver Nanoparticles With An Ultra-Thin Silica Shell, Daniel R. Willett

All Dissertations

The synthesis of chemically clean silver nanoparticles by hydrogen reduction of silver(I) oxide in water was first reported in our lab by David Evanoff a little over a decade ago, during which these nanoparticles have provided the backbone for research performed in this laboratory. Despite the seemingly relative simplicity of the reaction, much of the intricacies behind it are still being discovered. Presented here we report a proposed mechanism in which the reaction proceeds via a silica catalyzed pathway. In addition, we take advantage of this discovery to greatly increase the concentration of particles obtained as well as generate an …

Bi-Directional Grid-Tied Power Converter With Gps Capability, Anup Thapa

All Theses

This work proposes a bi-directional grid-tied converter with Global Positioning Sys-tem (GPS) capability for smart-grid applications. The novelty of this converter is that time-stamped grid voltage angle received via network communication channels has been used to synchronize the converter to the grid. Therefore, all grid-tied converters in a mi-crogrid with this development will not require line voltage sensing and phase-locked loops. The power section and modulation was built on a CompactRIO 9064 that also had a GPS timesource. In a larger power system, a nearby Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) can be used for the time source. In a microgrid, a …

Clemson Trustees Minutes, 2016 July 15, Clemson University Board Of Trustees

Minutes

No abstract provided.

When Is A Panther Not A Panther? Representing Animals In Early Modern English Heraldry, Kathryn Will

Early Modern Culture

No abstract provided.

Defect Density In Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Influences Ovalbumin Adsorption And Promotes Macrophage Activation And Cd4(+) T-Cell Proliferation, Wei Bai, Achyut J. Raghavendra, Ramakrishna Podila, Jared M. Brown

Publications

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are of great interest for the development of drugs and vaccines due to their unique physicochemical properties. The high surface area to volume ratio and delocalized pi-electron cloud of CNTs promote binding of proteins to the surface forming a protein corona. This unique feature of CNTs has been recognized for potential delivery of antigens for strong and long-lasting antigen-specific immune responses. Based on an earlier study that demonstrated increased protein binding, we propose that carboxylated multiwalled CNTs (MWCNTs) can function as an improved carrier to deliver antigens such as ovalbumin (OVA). To test this hypothesis, we coated …

Phoenix, Maggie Mason Smith

Publications

No abstract provided.

Developing A Federal Research Agenda For Positive Youth Development: Identifying Gaps In The Field And An Effective Consensus Building Approach, Allison Dymnicki, Suzanne Le Menestrel, Michelle Boyd, Lisa Lauxman

Journal of Youth Development

The field of positive youth development (PYD) is at an important crossroads in terms of defining its scope and directions for future research. This paper describes an effective consensus- building process that representatives from 16 federal agencies engaged in to develop a research agenda focused on PYD and the product that resulted from using this approach. During this process, the representatives identified and refined three research domains (conceptual issues related to PYD, data sources and indicators, and program implementation and effectiveness) and key research questions that could benefit from future research. We share lessons learned from our experience to emphasize …

Perceptions And Educational Strategies Of Louisiana Agricultural Education Teachers When Working With Students With Special Needs, Kristin Stair, Joey Blackburn, J. C Bunch, Leslie Blanchard

Journal of Youth Development

A teacher’s willingness to accept inclusion has been identified as an indicator of the quality of experience that a student with special needs will have in the classroom The purpose of this exploratory study was twofold: (1) to describe the overall perceptions of working with students with special needs and (2) to determine how teachers in Louisiana are currently working with students with special needs. A total of 152 teachers attended the Louisiana agricultural education teacher’s summer conference with 43% completing a three part survey instrument. Data analysis indicated that teachers are confident in their ability to work with students …

Engineering Xylose Utilization In Yarrowia Lipolytica By Understanding Its Cryptic Xylose Pathway, Gabriel M. Rodriguez, Murtaza Shabbir Hussain, Lauren Gambill, Difeng Gao, Allison Yaguchi, Mark Blenner

Publications

Background

The oleaginous yeast, Yarrowia lipolytica, has been utilized as an industrial host for about 60 years for various applications. Recently, the metabolic engineering of this host has become increasingly popular due to its ability to accumulate lipids as well as improvements made toward developing new genetic tools. Y. lipolytica can robustly metabolize glucose, glycerol, and even different lipid classes. However, little is known about its xylose metabolizing capability. Given the desirability of having a robust xylose utilizing strain of Y. lipolytica, we performed a comprehensive investigation and elucidation of the existing components of its xylose metabolic pathway. …

Clemson Trustees Minutes, 2016 June 23, Clemson University Board Of Trustees

Minutes

No abstract provided.

Transformative Role Of Photovoltaics In Phasing Out Alternating Current Based Grid By Local Dc Power Networks For Sustainable Global Economic Growth, Rajendra Singh, Amir A. Asif, Ganesh K. Venayagamoorthy

Publications

For sustainable global economic growth, eradication of global energy poverty and addressing climate challenges, free fuel based solar and wind energy sources are the only viable solution for electricity generation. Due to inherent advantages, photovoltaics has emerged as the major source of electrical power. Local generation of direct current (DC) power by PV and the use of batteries for storing electrical power have the potential of transforming global electricity infrastructure to address the problems faced by alternating current (AC) based centralized power generation and long haul transmission and distribution.

Stalking Jack The Ripper, Maggie Mason Smith

Publications

No abstract provided.